News
Southgate Veterans Memorial Library Return to original hours, opening meeting rooms
Starting on Tuesday, September 8th, the Southgate Veterans Memorial Library will be open its normal hours. No more shortened days, no more afternoon openings, we’ll be back to Monday – Thursday 10am – 9pm, Saturdays 10am – 5pm. Also, as of September 1st, meeting rooms are once again available for use; groups with prior reservations have already been notified
All other restrictions on library will remain in use for the time being. Please keep these restrictions in mind when planning to visit the library; hopefully, as time passes, we will be able to slowly move back towards our normal operation. We ask for your patience, and your understanding; these rules may change as we learn what works, and what doesn’t.
- Library occupancy is limited to 15 people; this includes library staff. For this reason, visits to the library will have a 30 minute time limit. We want to let people stay and enjoy the library, browse at their leisure, but to give everyone a chance to come in, and to better enable social distancing, this is a necessary precaution.
- Staff will be monitoring the number of people in the building. If the library is full, we will notify those waiting to come in. Once a patron leaves, another will be allowed inside, in the order they arrived to wait. Please be aware that we have limited space to wait outside the library, and to maintain a 6ft distance between yourself and others.
- Due to the time limit on library use, computer access is similarly reduced to 30 minutes per day. Please plan your computer use ahead of time, making sure you have passwords, documents, flash drives, etc., all prepared and ready to use.
- The number of accessible computers has been reduced, to better facilitate social distancing. There will be 4 computers available in the adult computer lab, and 2 in the children’s area. Computers in the children’s area will be available for adults to use if the lab is full.
- Masks, covering both the nose and mouth, will be required for entry into the library, in accordance with Executive Order 147. An exception is made for children under the age of 5, as well as for those who are medically unable to wear a mask. If you do not have a mask upon entry, one will be offered to you. Refusal to wear a mask, apart from the accepted exceptions, will result in service being denied, and you will be asked to leave.
- 6. Meetings are allowed beginning September 1st. No group may have more than 10 people in attendance, per current social gathering restrictions. Those using meeting rooms must immediately go to them upon entering the library; they may not make use of other library services at that time, and must exit and re-enter the library through the front doors if they wish to after the meeting concludes. This is necessary for staff to accurately track occupancy in the library.
- All returns should be placed in the dropbox. Returns will be quarantined for 4 days before being processed. Fines and/or fees may be applied to your account due to this delay; do not pay these fines/fees. When the quarantine has ended, staff will backdate the returns to when they were received, and any erroneous charges will be removed or reduced (fines may remain if the item was originally returned late).
- Staff will be disinfecting areas of high contact at set intervals throughout the day, to try and reduce the likelihood of contamination. Cleaning staff will be performing more thorough cleaning and disinfecting daily.
- Curbside service will be available for picking up hold requests. To participate, place an item on hold, either yourself or by contacting library staff. Once you have received notification that your hold is available, come to the library during when we are open (see above for our new hours of operation). Once here, call us from your vehicle. We will ask for your name, description of your vehicle and where you are parked, as well as your library card number if available. Staff will then check out your holds, bring them out, and verify your identity before handing them over. Please do not come to the library planning to ask for an item that is not already reserved for you; curbside service is only for items waiting to be picked up.
- Please do not come to the library if you feel unwell. Patrons exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, such as shortness of breath, coughing, fever, etc., will be asked to leave.
- Please maintain social distancing as best you can while in the library. We have narrow aisles, that do not allow for easy passing; consider waiting until other patrons have moved on, or walking further around to reach your destination. The floor near the front desk will be marked with appropriate places to stand while waiting for assistance.
If we all work together, we can beat this pandemic, and keep the library open. It’s up to all of us to do the best we can, for ourselves and for each other. We hope to provide the best service possible while staying safe! Welcome back!
A Job Well Done!
A huge thank you to the folks at Jabro Carpet One, here in Southgate, who installed the new carpet, as well as to Quality Painting Systems, in Ypsilanti, who handled the painting. A lot of long hours and hard work went into these jobs, and the results are fantastic! We couldn't be happier, and appreciate the effort and expertise they brought in!
Featured
Introducing: Auto-Renewals!
Starting October 1, 2020, materials checked out on your card will automatically renew before their due date, as long as they can be renewed.
Items will auto-renew if:
- The item has not been requested by another patron
- The item has not reached its limit of renewals. Limits vary by item type and owning library; the policy for items belonging to Southgate can be found under the Card Policies on our Policies page
- Your account does not have blocks preventing renewals
Frequently Asked Questions
When do auto-renewals occur?
Auto-renewals will occur 3 days before an item's due date. You will still receive the full additional loan period, as the renewal period is added at the end of the original loan. For example, if you borrow a movie for 1 week, and it is renewed, you will get to keep it for 2 full weeks in total.
What if an item doesn't auto-renew?
If an item cannot be renewed, you will receive a due date reminder by your chosen notification method (email, text or phone). Please return items by the due date so that other library patrons can enjoy them, and to avoid late fees (while Southgate does not charge overdue fees for its items, other libraries do.)
Questions? Call us at 734-258-3002
Sign up for a library card remotely
We are now offering the opportunity to sign up for a library card remotely! Any Southgate resident who does not have a card, or who needs to update an old card, can send us their information, and we will reply with everything you need to gain access to our digital collection. If you already have a card beginning with 29014, you should be set; this is for new cards and updates only.
To get a new or updated card number, send the following information to the Director, Don Priest, through email, with the subject heading "New Library Card".
- First Name
- Last Name
- Address
- Phone Number
- Birthdate
Email address: dpriest@southgate.lib.mi.us
Once we are able to, we will enter your information into the system, and send you your card number and PIN. It may take a day or two, as staff is only in the building for a few hours a week. This card number will be good for 3 months. To extend its lifespan, and to retrieve the physical card, you will need to come in when we are open again, and provide proof of identity and address (drivers license is ideal). We'll fill in the rest of the details of your account, and you'll be set for the standard 3 years.
To find our digital offerings, go to https://www.southgate.lib.mi.us/eBooks/eBooks.html
Stay home, and stay safe!